Happy Opening Day!

Sure, the conditions aren't ideal for baseball — Weather.com tells us it's 40 degrees in the Bronx right now with a chance of rain this afternoon — and this whole starting-the-season-on-a-Thursday business will take a bit of getting used to, but none of that changes the fact that, you guys, meaningful baseball games are happening today! Twelve teams are in action — the Mets, who open their season in Florida tomorrow night, aren't one of them — but the Yankees get started in a little more than an hour, with Mike Mussina set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and CC Sabathia set to throw the real one shortly thereafter. (He'll oppose Justin Verlander — a pretty excellent pitching matchup right out of the gate.) The long, dreary, baseball-less winter is over for real now. (Again, pay no attention to the temperature or the chance of snow tomorrow.) Play ball again, everyone. Play ball.